Capsule sealing method and apparatus



1965 c. E. ACKLEY 3,200,556

CAPSULE SEALING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Oct. 12, 1962 2; Sheets-Sheetl 13 FIG. 1

IN VEN TOR.

BY GL1); 6L0

A Tran/vans.

1965 c. E. ACKLEY 3,200,556

CAPSULE SEALING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Oct. 12, 1962- 2;Sheets-Sheet 2 1B l6 l8 54 FIG. 3 68 3 M I 58 I a2 50 5 ".94

INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,200,556 CAPSULE SEALING METHGD AND APPARATUSCharles E. Ackley, Oreland, Pa, assignor to R. W. Hartnett Company,Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Oct. 12, 1862,Ser. No. 238,288 6 Claims. (Cl. 53--38) This invention relates generallyto an article conveying and handling apparatus, more particularly to anapparatus for sealing capsules by introducing a liquid sealing agent orsealant at the seal line between the inner body and the outer cap andcausing the liquid agent to be dispersed by capillarity between the twoso that they seal to each other, and, more particularly, to suchapparatus capable of successively sealing a continuous series ofcapsules as they are conveyed at a high rate of speed past a sealingstation.

Many phamaceutical products are dispensed in gelatine capsules whichconsist of an inner end and an outer end, telescoped together. Medicinalmaterial is placed in the inner body, and the outer cap telescopes overthe filled inner body.

Capsules which are so filled at times fall apart in shipment because thetwo parts do not fit tightly together. Efforts have been made to sealthe two parts together by placing a band of gelatin around the juncture,but such methods usually require a comparatively complex chuckingprocedure. Efforts have also been made to seal the two parts together bydipping the entire capsule in a liquid solvent. While this softens thetwo parts enough to cause them to stick together, it also softens theouter surfaces of the capsules to such an extent that they stick to eachother in shipment. Such concepts also require an extra step, and eachadditional step in processing adds to labor costs. Further efforts havebeen made to seal the two parts together by bringing drops of liquidsealant simultaneously into contact respectively with the capsules of abatch thereof at the lines of juncture between the inner bodies and theouter caps. By capillarity the drop of liquid is drawn between the innerbody and the outer cap, softens each of them and causes them to adhereto each other. Batch concepts are highly unsatisfactory when highproduction is desired.

Accordingly, an important object of the invention is to provideapparatus capable of sealing two-part capsules by the spot applicationof drops or globules of a liquid sealant at the line of juncture orsealing line between the inner body and the outer cap as the capsulesmove in a continuous succession past a sealing station at a high rate ofspeed.

Another object is to provide such apparatus capable of spot applicationof globules of liquid sealant to exposed opposite lateral sides of thecapsules without the globule-applying elements themselves engaging thecapsules.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent when the followingspecification is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of apparatus embodying theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are enlarged sections respectively on lines IIIIII,IV-IV and V-V of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the liquid sealant-applyingwheel;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a capsule, filled but not sealed; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a capsule filled and sealed.

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Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, apparatus constructed inaccordance with a specific form of the invention comprises ahorizontally extending base plate It upon which is mounted an endlessconveyor 12 including an upright support frame 14. At the top of theframe 14 is journaled a shaft 16 which carries a pair of axially spacedchain sprockets 18, and at the base of the frame 14 is journaled a shaft20 which carries a pair of axially spaced chain sprockets 22, only oneofwhich is shown. Trained over the sprockets 18 and 22 are a pair oflaterally spaced chain belts 24 between which are mounted a series ofcarrier elements 26 each of which is recessed to provide a seat 28 andopposed shoulders 30 for receiving a capsule. The run of the chain beltsextending between the sprockets 18 and 22 is vertical, and extendingupwardly from the base 10 and part way around the carrier elements 26traveling about the sprockets 18 is a guide 32 disposed in close spacedrelation to the carrier elements 26. Carried by the base 10 andextending therethrough is a discharge chute 33 directly under thevertical run aforesaid of the chain belts.

On each side of the conveyor 12, afiixed to the base 10 and extendingupwardly therefrom, are a pair of laterally spaced brackets 34.Extending through the upper end portions of the brackets 34 arecoaxially aligned pins 36 to which are connected corresponding endportions of a pair of horizontally extending arms 38. Journaled in thefree end portions of the armsI38 is a shaft 40 which mounts a liquidsealant-applying wheel 42 equipped with circumferentially equally spacedliquid sealant applicator elements 44, the outer extremities of whichare provided with concavities, designated 46. Also mounted upon theshaft 40 is a spur gear 48. Extending from the standards 34 are brackets50 which have journaled in the free end portions thereof respectivelysections of a shaft 52 coupled together as at 56. Mounted upon the shaft52 is a transfer wheel 58 provided with a rubber rim 60 aligned with thewheel 42. Also mounted upon the shaft 52 is a spur gear 62 which mesheswith the spur gear 48 on the shaft 40. Underlying the transfer wheel 68is a container, designated 64.

Referring particularly to FIG. 2, an electric motor and change speedmechanism, generally designated 66, is mounted upon the bed plate 10 andoperates through appropriate shafting and gearing to actuate theconveyor 12 and the wheels 42 and 60 in predetermined timed relation.The driving portion of the apparatus is essentially the same as thatdisclosed by my United States Patent No. 3,042,183, issued July 3, 1962.Reference may be had to said patent for further details of construction.

Referring particularly to FIG. 7, each of the capsules sealed by theapparatus has an inner body part 70 open at one end and closed at theother end by a semi-spherical portion 72. Telescoped over the open endof the inner body 78 is an outer cap part 74 open at one end and closedat the other end by a semi-spherical portion 76.

Referring to FIG. 8, the capsule, generally designated 68, is filledwith powder or other content 78. The liquid sealant, upon being appliedto the capsule, spreads by capillarity around the capsule between thetelescoped portions thereof and penetrates from the sealing edge or lineaxially inwardly as shown at 88.

In the operation of the apparatus, the motor and change speed unit 66drive the conveyor 12 and wheels 42 and 60 in predetermined timerelation by means of suitable shafting and gearing, including shafts 40and 52 and gears 48 and 62. Filled but unsealed capsules 68 are fed tothe upper run of the conveyor 12, and the capsules nest in the carrierelements 26 with their opposite lateral sides exposed and with theirlongitudinal axes normal to the path of travel. As the capsules moveover the sprock- .In the meantime, liquid sealant, designated 84, FIG.

3, is picked up by the rims 60 of the transfer wheels 58 from thesupplythereof, designated 85, in the container 64'; As Wheels 42 turn, thetips of the elements 44 sweep by underlying wheels 58 in close spacedrelation to the' peripheral surfaces of the rims 60, in consequence ofwhich a drop or globule 88 of the sealant is transferred to each element44, as seen in FIG. 4. Periodically, a pair of the elements 44respectively of the wheels 42 and one of the capsules arrive'at thestation 82 at the same.

time 'andmove' in the same direction past the station. The elements 44move in close spaced relation respectively to the exposed oppositelateral sides of the capsules 68 and do not touch any part of capsules68. Thus the capsules cannot be deformed by the elements 44. In thisconnectiomthe arms. 33 are angularly adjustable about the'pins 36' toassure proper center-to-center spacing of wheels. 42 and 58, and axiallyshiftable to assure proper spacing'of the wheels 42 from the verticalmedian plane of the conveyor. The globules 88 of the sealant, however,extend radially outwardly beyond the ends of elements 44, and spotengage the capsule at the sealing line and the sealant penetrates andspreads between the telescoped portions of the capsules by capillaryaction, as shown in FIG. 8. The sealed capsules 83 are carrieddownwardly by the conveyor and as they are about to enter the lowerhorizontalrun of the conveyor, they drop from the conveyor into the chute33 for discharge from the apparatus. 7

The-liquid sealant may be 'a suitable solvent which to some extentdissolves and tackifies the surfaces of the capsule walls with whichit'cornes into contact, or it may be a suitableliquid adhesive. Bytouching the sealant to the edge of the outer cap adjacent the innerbody, the sealant flows by capillarity very rapidly into the area ofcontact between the two capsule parts, thus'forming a seal. Preferablyessentially all of the sealant enters between the contacting areas ofthe capsule parts and any respectively on opposite sides of saidconveyor and a d What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for sealing capsules which are. essentialiy of the samesize and shape and of the type having parts telescoped one over the"other, an endless conveyor including means for receiving and retainingindividual capsules disposed in a common plane and normal to the path ofsaid conveyor and with opposite lateral sides of said capsules exposed,said conveyor being operable for moving said capsules at a predeterminedrate pasta sealing station, and means at said station forsealing saidcapsules including a pair of Wheels disposed respectively on oppositesides of said conveyor, radially outwardly projecting-elernents disposedin a common plane normal to th'e first-mentioned plane and carried byeach ,of said Wheels, the latter being movable for carrying saidelements past said station each in spaced relation ,to said capsules,means for'applying globules of a sealing agent respectively toconcavities formed in the tips of' said elements, means for continuouslyactuating 7 said 'wheels thereby to move said elements past and deliversaid sealing agent globules to said station at said predetermined rate;and to simultaneously apply said sealing agent globules respectively tosaid exposed'sides and at the sealing lines of the capsules forsealingthe same as said capsules and sealing agent globules pass .by saidstation 'in the same direction.

2. In apparatus for sealing capsules whichv are essentially of thesamesize and shape and of the type having parts telescoped one over. theother, an endless conveyor including means for receiving and retainingindividual capsules disposed normal to the path of said conveyor andwith opposite lateral sides of said capsules exposed, said conveyorbeing operable for moving said capsules downwardly in a straight line ata predetermined 7 rate past a sealing station; and means at said stationfor sealing said capsules including a pair of wheels disposed mountedfor rotation about horizontal axes, radially outwardlyprojectingcircumferentially equally spaced elements carried by each of said wheelsand disposed in a plane normalto the axes of said wheels, the'latterbeing 7 movable for carrying said elements past said station incidentalportion deposited externally dries by the time 1 the capsule isdischarged from theapparatus and into a collecting hopper (not shown)through the chute 33. Thus the capsules collected in the hopper do notstick to'gethen The sealant, whether solvent or adhesive, may be pre'pared as an invisible composition.

As'an example, as indicated in the copending applica- I tion of John R.Kane, Serial No. 230,269, now Patent No. 3,159,546, for capsules made ofpure food gelatin combined with glycerin, excellentresults have beenobtainedwith a solvent which by weight is composed of 2% parts ethylacetate, 1 part distilled water, A part propylene glycol U.S.P., 1 partacetone and A part isopropyl alcohol. Such a solvent has the low surfacetension required for penetration between the overlapping areas of thetwo capsule parts almost instantly; it dries rapidly; and it hastherequired consistency for the purpose intended.

It has been found that capsules may be sealed with the,

apparatus and method of the invention at a rate in the order of 60,000to 75,000 capsules per hour and above.

It will be understood, of course, that the present invention, asdescribed and shown, is susceptible tovarious changes and modificationswhich may be made without any departure from the general principles orreal spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended to claim thepresent invention broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated in theappended claims.

each in spaced relation to said capsules, means for transferringglobules of a sealing agent from a source thereof respectively toconcavities formed in the tips of said elements, means for continuouslyactuating said wheels thereby to move said elements past and deliversaid sealing agent globules to said station at said predetermined rateand to simultaneously. apply said sealing agent globules respectively tosaid exposed sides and at the seal ing, lines of the capsules forsealing the same as said capsulesand sealing agent globules passdownwardly by said station.

3. In a process for sealing gelatin capsules having inner body and outercap parts each with one closed endand one open end, the open endsof-said'outer. cap parts being telescoped over the open ends of saidinner body parts, thesteps comprising moving a series of capsules in acontinuous stream thereof at a predetermined rate of inner body andouter cap parts each with one closed end and one open end, theropen endsof said outer cap parts belng telescoped over the-open ends of saidinner body parts, thesteps comprisin'g'moving a series ofdcapsules in acontinuous stream thereofat a predetermined rate of speed'successively;past a sealing station, moving two series of globules of sealant each ina continuous stream sules in a continuous stream thereof at apredetermined rate of speed successively past a sealing station, movingtwo endless streams of elements in circular paths on opposite sides ofsaid station at said predetermined rate of speed successively past saidstation in close spaced relation of said capsules, applying to saidelements globules of sealant for transfer to said capsules, said sealantbeing by weight composed of 2% parts ethyl acetate, 1 part dis tilledwater, A part propylene glycol U.S.P., 1 part acetone and A partisopropyl alcohol, and applying one of said globules of sealant fromeach stream of said elements to the edge of the outer cap part adjacentthe inner body part of each capsule, on diametically opposite sidesthereof, as the capsule passes said station.

6. In apparatus for sealing capsules which are essentially of the samesize and shape and of the type having parts telescoped one over theother, a conveyor including a plurality of capsule holders for receivingand retaining individual capsules, said holders being spaced apart fromone another along said conveyor in a predetermined, fixed spacedrelationship, and being constructed and arranged to hold said capsulesat an angle to the path of conveyor movement, and with the junctures ofthe telescoped parts of said capsules exposed, means for controlling thespeed of said conveyor for moving said capsules at a predetermined ratepast a sealing station, and means at said station for sealing saidcapsules including a movable member disposed alongside said conveyor,spaced applicator elements spaced on said movable member in accordancewith'said predetermined spacing of said holders, and drive meansconstructed and controlled to drive said applicator elements atessentially the same linear speed as the holders on said conveyor, forcarrying said applicators past said station each in spaced relation tosaid capsules and at the same speed therewith, said applicators beingconstructed for applying globules of a sealing agent respectively to thejunctures of the telescoped parts of said capsules, and being of suchrestricted length that they are spaced slightly away from said capsulesand said holders when they pass said station.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 921,386 5/09Estes 118-212 2,691,474 12/54 Olson 53373 X 2,931,292 4/60 Ackley 10l372,936,493 5/60 Scherer 53281 X 3,025,652 3/62 Sandhage et al 5338 X3,071,513 1/63 De Boer 53-37 X FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Examiner.

3. IN A PROCESS FOR SEALING GELATIN CAPSULES HAVING INNER BODY AND OUTERCAP PARTS EACH WITH ONE CLOSED END AND ONE OPEN END, THE OPEN ENDS OFSAID OUTER CAP PARTS BEING TELESCOPED OVER THE OPEN ENDS OF SAID INNERBODY PARTS, THE STEPS COMPRISING MOVING A SERIES OF CAPSULES IN ACONTINUOUS STREAM THEREOF AT A PREDETERMINED RATE OF SPEED SUCCESSIVELYPAST A SEALING STATION, MOVING A PLURALITY OF SERIES OF GLOBULES OFSEALANT EACH IN A CONTINUOUS STREAM AT SAID PREDETERMINED RATE OF SPEEDSUCCESSIVELY PAST SAID STATION, AND SPOTTING EACH CAPSULE ATCIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED POINTS ON THE EDGE OF THE OUTER CAP PARTADJACENT THE INNER BODY PART, AS THE CAPSULE PASSES SAID STATION, WITHONE GLOBULE FROM EACH SERIES THEREOF.